The Forgotten Kingdom
by Shinigami's Ange1
Summary: RxS, What can stop the Heartless? Sora and Riku desperately seek the truth. But does the answer lie deep within the keyblade itself? One legend says it saved the world, the other, that it destroyed it. But what is its true purpose? A key that opens doors.
1. Heart of the Storm

_**Disclaimer:**_All rights and privileges to Kingdom Hearts are trademarks and property of Tetsuya Nomura, Buena Vista Games, Square Enix, and associated parties. The characters of these works are used WITHOUT permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This work of fiction is not meant for sale or profit.

_**Author's (long winded) Note:**_ I had to read so many official interviews, forum threads and wiki articles, and had so many theory debates with my brother that it's not even funny, all in preparation for this fic. As time wears on, it will, most undoubtedly, become non-canon. (Or maybe not, who knows!) I guess it just depends on how the Birth by Sleep portion of the game unfolds. I'm going to try my best to not come across any spoilers concerning it, because I want to find out the story as I play it, not by reading it on the net. I will, however, be using some of the characters from the new game, but as it stands, their roles will be minor, for now. Since the game _Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep_ comes out in Japan first and I don't know how big the gap between the US release date and the Japanese one will be, I encourage everyone to not post reviews with spoilers in them concerning this future installment of the KH franchise, or likewise, email me with any corrections. Let's not ruin the game for anyone! If something is that bad off with my story, then trust me, I'll find out from my brother, and depending on how "off" it is, I may decide to correct it, I may not. So, for now, it shall be labeled as non-canon. On a more serious note, this story will be long, though the chapters will probably be shorter after this one. Despite the "fluffy" appearance of this first chapter, this story will be taking a darker, more serious turn - and fast. My beta has pointed out that Sora is angsting just a little too much in the chapter, but it can't be helped. However, he still retains his outward carefree appearance, so he's still in character. Well, enough with the rambling...

**_Warning:_** Yaoi and dark themes.

_**Summary:**_ A year has past since Sora and Riku stepped through the Door to Light and returned to Destiny Islands. Reunited at last, Sora and company try hard to return to their everyday lives, which means school, among other things. All the while, Sora struggles with his growing feelings for his best friend, strange dreams about Roxas, and unexplainable memories of worlds he has never been to. What is real and what's not? As he and Riku search for the truth, each answer only brings more questions. In order to truly eliminate the heartless, he and Riku must unravel the true purpose of the keyblade. Its origins remain shrouded in mystery. How did it come to be? One legend says it saved the world, the other, it wrought ruin and chaos upon it. There must be something more, a key that opens doors...

,.•´¯•.¸ -- Scene change

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯) -- Unconscious / Dream sequence

_'Italics'_ -- Inner thoughts

_Italics _-- Past Events

_**"The Forgotten Kingdom"**_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸_ Heart of the Storm_¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

The waves crashed hard into the island's detached rocky landscape, pushed by a merciless salty wind that whipped with equal savagery across the two small red flags attached to the normally empty flag pole, marking the beginning of the beach on Destiny Islands. Along the empty coastline, a single figure stood ankle deep in the warm water, staring off into the distance, watching and waiting, as the clouds rolled slowly in. Sora closed his eyes and took a deep breath as the fierce wind blew his spiky brown hair back and forth, stinging his face. Had it been any other day, he would surely have gotten in trouble for being here at this time of day, but no, not today. School had been let out early all over the island so that its inhabitants could prepare for the coming storm. It was all everyone had been talking about for days.

Sora knew he should be getting home, that there was still much to do, but he had to stop here first. He couldn't explain it. He just felt compelled to. He opened his eyes and pulled his bangs back with his hand. From his spot on the beach, he could see the tops of the trees on the other island, _their_ island. Across this vast, watery darkness, all his memories of childhood and innocence lay buried in that white, weathered sand.

Memories of countless morning fights with wooden swords, afternoon swims in the small lagoon under the waterfall, and nights spent lying on the beach, trying to count the stars. They were all memories of Riku, the only memories Sora came to trust. He hadn't felt the same since spending a year sleeping and having his memories rearranged by Namine. Something, he didn't know what, but _something_ always felt off. He couldn't explain how, he just _knew_. It was like there was something missing.

And that wasn't all. He had begun having strange dreams of what he thought, at first, were memories of Roxas. That's what they had to be, because they weren't anything like any other dreams he had ever experienced before. These were so real in comparison. That's why he was almost certain they had to be memories. But he couldn't be sure. Was this suppose to be normal? He didn't know.

The more time went by, the more difficult it was becoming for him to distinguish between all these muddled memories. What had happened to him and what had happened to Roxas, and what maybe hadn't _happened_ at all? What did all of it mean? He didn't know anymore. And it was being to take a toll on his sanity.

The only person he could really even begin to talk to about this was Kairi. And there in lie the problem. Even being around her seemed to only make things worse. Was it because Namine was now a part of her? But wait, hadn't she always been a part of her? Why did it affect him so badly? How could he trust anything, any memory, that involved her? He couldn't help but wonder, what if everything that had happened since the day she came to their world, everything he knew, was nothing but a lie? He needed to know, but how could he?

That's why all the memories before Kairi came were the only ones Sora knew were safe. They were the only ones he could believe anymore. Which, for Sora, meant thinking about Riku. A lot.

And the more he thought about Riku, the more confusing his feelings for his friend became. He thought he liked Kairi, _knew_ he liked her. But now...

Now all he could think about was his best friend and how he had been willing to give up ever seeing her again, just to stay with him, even if it was in the darkness. So how could he say that he liked her if he had been so willing and able to abandon her in the first place? But wasn't it him wanting to see her again that opened the Door to Light? Or was it his strong desire to go home with Riku that opened it?

No matter how hard he tried, Sora couldn't remember which it was. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he got. The answer just wouldn't come. Maybe it never would.

A familiar voice behind him drug him away from his thoughts.

"Sora, there you are. What are you doing out here? I thought you were going to wait for me after the bell rung. Why did you leave me? I waited for you for fifteen minutes before Selphie came over and told me you had already left."

Sora smiled sheepishly and turned around. "Sorry, Riku. I just wanted to see the beach one last time before the storm. You know...before the beach gets all tore up and everything."

Riku glanced somewhat annoyingly at the island, though he didn't look too upset, despite the fact that Sora _had_ left him behind without telling him where he was going. With a reluctant sigh, he shoved his hands in his pockets and gave Sora a sideways glance, "Let's go. We've still got to board up all the windows in your house and bring over some of the food from mine."

It was a odd tradition Riku's family and Sora's had. Any time there was a hurricane, since Riku lived so close to the shore, him and his mom would come and stay at Sora's house until it was over. It was safer there. Yesterday, Sora had helped them board up all their windows when they heard that the storm wasn't going to change course as originally predicted.

Sora walked out of the water, rolling his pants down. Even after countless washes, they still felt rough and starchy. He didn't think he would _ever_ get use to wearing this uniform. Wearing it everyday only made him miss wearing his old clothes more and more. His only consolation: at least Riku had to wear it too. "Okay. Lemme grab my stuff."

Barefooted, pants dragging in the sand, Sora walked the short distance to the road with Riku following behind him.

"I'm still mad at you." Riku said softly.

Sora snapped his head around, coming to a stop. He opened his mouth to speak, though he didn't really know what he was going to say. Seeing the wasted effort, Riku walked past him with a knowing smirk. "You can think about how you're going to make it up to me on the way home."

The way he had said it sounded so _suggestive_. Maybe Sora was just imagining things. Besides, Riku had never said anything like that to him before. With his mind running through ways he could apologize, Sora bent over, retrieving his discarded socks and shoes, along with his bookbag. Tossing the bookbag on his back, he brushed the thinly caked sand off his feet and pulled on his socks and shoes, while Riku took a moment to pull his off and pour sand out, created a small dune on the sidewalk. Once both boys had their shoes back on their feet, Riku gave Sora a thoughtful glance and took off running. It could only mean one thing...

"Race ya!" he shouted. "Last one there sleeps on the floor tonight!"

Sora took off behind him, glad to see he had been forgiven for not waiting on him after the bell rang. "That's not fair! Come back here, cheater!"

The sidewalks lining the streets were empty, so the two boys could run at full speed without having to worry about dodging bystanders. They were about halfway there, with Sora on Riku's heels, when the silver-headed boy took a sudden, and very unexpected turn.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Sora shouted, coming to a clumsy stop where the two separated.

"Stop there and you'll never win!"

Sora didn't have time to think. He had to make a decision quick. Should he follow Riku because maybe he knew a short cut? Or should he continue going the way he thought was quickest? Balling up his fists, Sora took off down the hill, feet pounding down the sidewalk. At the bottom, he turned right.

_'Almost there. Almost there! I can't lose!'_

He quickly looked from left to right as he approached the intersection. Not a car in sight. Sprinting across the pavement, his feet hit the cement once more. One more hill to go. Before Sora reached the top, he could see the edge of his roof. As always, the porch was being blocked by the large tree in the front yard. He didn't yet know if he was going to win. In a final burst of energy, he rounded the tree and made a mad dash for the stairs. Riku was no where to be seen. He had won!

"Yes!" Sora shouted in victory, running up the stairs and punching a victorious fist into the air. With a huge smile, he reached the top and turned to face the street, waiting to gloat. "Take that, Riku!"

"You're going to have to take this first."

Sora nearly fell over in shock as he turned around in disbelief. There, in the doorway, was Riku holding a large glass of water.

"What! How did you -"

Riku gave him a smile of pure self-satisfaction. "Please...Sora! You didn't actually think you were going to win, did you?"

Sora reached out and took the offered water, at a loss for what to say. After all, it wasn't like he hadn't beaten Riku at anything before. Only, the things he had beaten him at, weren't exactly things he could brag about. And they weren't things Sora was necessarily proud of either. Or Riku for that matter. They were things that if he mentioned, would only end up hurting Riku's feelings. Which Sora wasn't about to do.

"It's only because you had a head start!" Sora told him.

"Or...because I'm faster." Riku teased with a smile.

Sora smiled back. He loved it when Riku was like this. It reminded him of old times, before the heartless, before the fighting.

Before Riku had given into the darkness...

Though others couldn't, Sora could see it in his face, just how hard it was for him sometimes, to pretend like nothing bothered him, like nothing was wrong. But Sora knew better. He could see the pain hid behind those distant sea-green eyes and he knew how much Riku thought he didn't deserve to be here.

But right now, with that smile, it was easy for even Sora to forget.

For everyone else, it was like Sora had never left. That's the memories they had, even Sora's mom. Every once and a while she would ask him about something that didn't happen and Sora wouldn't really know what to say. They were false memories implanted by Namine to account for the time he was gone. But what those memories were, Sora didn't know. And no one, aside from Riku, Kairi and him, could remember the heartless attacking and destroying their world. Those memories simply didn't exist, at least not for everyone else.

But everyone's memory of Riku...that was a different story. They could all remember him just leaving one day, and not coming back. That's how Sora found out exactly how long they had been gone: one year and eleven months. That's how long Riku's mom had spent worrying sick over him "running away". It wasn't fair, not for Riku, and not for Sora. He hated seeing his best friend have to answer weird questions about where he had been and what he had done, knowing he couldn't tell them the truth, because let's face it: who would believe him? Some crazy story about black creatures, doors and keys -

Sometimes Sora thought his best friend hated him for it. Ever since they got back it was like he was a different person. He refused to talk to most people, only when it was necessary. Even Kairi...

He understood everyone else. But Kairi? Why? Maybe he blamed her. The thought alone made Sora feel betrayed somehow. Because if he did indeed feel that way, Riku hadn't told him. And Riku always told Sora everything. Or at least Sora liked to think he did.

Sora thought talking to Kairi would help him, to at least have someone else to talk to, even if she couldn't change what Namine had done. Maybe he could figure something out if he just talked to her. Sora had. That's when he knew something was wrong with him. It was a conversation that took place between them after Sora's mom had suggested Sora see a doctor about his unexplained memory loss. He thought that if he just knew what these memories were, then he could avoid the unwanted attention. But when he had asked her, Kairi couldn't tell him anything about the memories Namine had given everyone about him. It begged the question: if she couldn't remember any of her nobody's memories, then why could Sora remember his? It made no sense. Maybe he had been "put back together" wrong. He tried not to think about it.

But right now, none of it mattered anyway. Riku looked happy.

Sora gave him a lopsided smirk and closed his eyes, shrugging his shoulders. "Whatever." he said as he put the glass up to his lips and chugged the whole thing.

When he put the glass down he was abruptly hit in the face with a towel. "Here," Riku said, retreating back into the house to gather their necessary tools, "Wipe off your face and let's get started. If we hurry we can get finished before it starts to rain."

The thought of having to hold sheets of wood in the pouring rain, while Riku tacked nails into them, _while_ they both tried balancing on the same ladder didn't sound like much fun at all. It was enough to kick Sora into gear.

"I'll get the wood." he chirped.

,.•´¯•.¸

Several hours later, without a moment to spare, the duo had successfully boarded up the entire house just as the bottom of the clouds finally broke. Unfortunately, they had still yet to get the food from Riku's house and now they were going to get wet.

"Hurry back boys! Be careful!" Sora's mom called from the doorway as the two raced down the sidewalk, taking the familiar path to Riku's house.

Sora smirked wildly to himself, this time it was _he_ who had gotten the head start, and this time he wouldn't lose!

"Who's the cheater now!" Riku shouted from behind as Sora tore off down the deserted street, laughing in the rain.

"I learned from the best!" he shouted back.

"Well, you still got a lot to learn!" Riku told him as he finally caught up. Over the hill, their destination came into view. The two were neck and neck: across the lawn, up the driveway, to the door. With a loud _smack_, the two slammed their wet palms against the door at the same time, exhausted and out of breath, but both smiling.

"Heh," said Sora, "looks like it's a tie this time."

"Yeah, _this_ time, you goof." Riku said as he took a step back and started fishing in the pockets of his own starchy uniform pants for his house keys: first the front, then the back. "Crap," he said, "looks like I've lost my keys..."

"Some keyblade master you are, no wonder it chose me instead of you..." Sora teased. Riku's hands froze in his pockets. Sora knew it had been the wrong thing to say as soon as the words left his mouth, but it was too late now. Riku stood there, staring, an unnamed emotion shining in his eyes. What on earth made him say that? How could he be so stupid! Sora worryingly tilted his head to look at him, but Riku didn't move. Sora's heart was beating nervously faster. He moved cautiously closer to Riku, trying to find the right words, "Riku, I...I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean that. I didn't-"

"It's alright, Sora." he said quietly. "You're right..."

Even though he tried to hide it, Riku looked heartbroken. Knowing it was because of him, tears began welling in Sora's eyes. What had he done? He reached out to touch him, but stopped, withdrawing his hand. He didn't deserve to touch him. Not after what he just said. Not after all that Riku had done for him. The tears stung painfully as they threatened to spill down his cheeks. Sora's heart lunged. "No, it's not alright! I'm so sorry! I never should have said that. If it hadn't been for you, I would have never- Riku, I-"

"Sora." Riku turned and looked at him, giving him a reassuring smile, "It's okay." Bending over, he flipped the welcome mat up, revealing a small key. "Besides, I have a spare," he announced nonchalantly, scraping it up and rocking it between his fingers. "Any good keyblade master always does." He tried to sound like his normal, cool self, but his underlying tone was flat. His fake smile didn't make Sora feel any better either.

They both stood there quietly for a moment before Riku leaned over and put him in a playful headlock, dragging him down and ruffling his hair before pushing him back. "Come on," he said. He nodded towards the door, whipping the screen open and jamming the key into the lock, giving it a turn, "We gotta hurry before your mom gets worried."

Sora uneasily walked in, stepping slowly on the tile as if it were made of eggshells. Despite his "no problem" attitude about what he had said, Sora knew it had affected him more than he let show. Riku had gotten good at that. And though he thought was, he could never fool Sora. Standing uncertainly in the doorway, Sora stared at Riku's back as he disappeared down the hallway.

"Food's in the box by the fridge." he called out from his room.

"Thanks." Sora shouted back, somewhat lifelessly, still staring at the stop where Riku disappeared. Turning slowly, he walked across the kitchen, sneakers squeaking across the floor. As he grabbed the box, his mood lightened at the sight that greeted him. His familiar smile returned as he looked nostalgically at the picture on the refrigerator door. It was a snapshot of him and Riku when they were kids, playing "fort" in Riku's back yard. It had always been one of Sora's favorite pictures of them. They both looked so adorable, little Riku with his cute short hair and Sora with his baggy knaki shorts and wide grin. Those were the days...

"You ready?" Riku asked, walking into the room, sporting his "spending the night as Sora's" bag.

Sora took one look at the girly bangs covering his eyes and smiled. "You need a haircut, Riku. Your hair looks funny long."

Riku ran a hand through his damp locks. "Does it really?"

Riku frowned a little and looked away. God, Sora was so stupid! That was the second dumb thing he had told Riku in the past five minutes. Why couldn't he just shut up! Or at least say something nice! Everything he said was turning into a disaster.

He hadn't really meant it that way. He just thought it looked better like the way it was in the picture, the way it was before everything had changed. He didn't really think his long hair looked bad. It just reminded him that Riku was different now, that and well, it kinda looked like a girl's. Sora had thought that that was why he had been having some of the thoughts he had been having lately, about Riku...and his long hair.

"No, not really," Sora explained with a smile, pointing at the square picture attached by a paopu fruit magnet. "I just like it like it is in this picture."

Riku's eyes lightened as he glanced over at the familiar shot and smiled, this time for real. "Oh, that. What were we then? What, five?"

"You were. I was four." Sora said.

"Right." the other nodded. Through the short silence they could now hear the wind shaking the shutters. "Come on, let's get going before the wind gets any worse."

Sora stepped outside and glared up at the sky. It had stopped raining, but just briefly. Sora could tell it was about to start again any minute. In the short period of time they were inside the house, the outside had gotten much darker. Sora walked to the edge of the driveway and looked out at the sea with a sudden uneasiness. The eerie chill in the air, the sudden darkness. It was just like that night...

"Sora?" Riku said, carefully touching his shoulder.

Sora gave a little jump and turned around. "Sorry...I was just..." he trailed off.

"What's wrong?" Riku asked, seeing the troubled look in his friend's eyes.

Sora shook his head, and laughed it off. "It's nothing! Look, here comes the rain again!"

As Sora marched off into the downpour carrying his box, Riku turned and looked back out at the sea. In the distance, a bolt of lightning shot across the sky, followed by a ominous roll of deep thunder. Time was running out.

,.•´¯•.¸

With all the extra baggage, what would normally had been a five minute jog, had turned into a fifteen minute drudge in the rain. When the two boys finally reached Sora's they were soaking wet. "Thank Goodness!" Sora's mom said, pulling the both of them into tight hugs as they entered the door. "Mom..." Sora whined.

"Riku, did you remember your underwear?" Riku's mom called from the living room.

Sora snickered. Riku rolled his eyes. "Yes, mom. I'm seventeen, not seven."

Sora's mom smiled warmly at them. "Here, drop your stuff down here boys. And take off your clothes, I don't want no dripping through the house. You two better hurry up and take your showers before we lose power."

While Riku practically threw his stuff in the floor and began to strip off his shirt, Sora slowly leaned over and placed the box on the floor, watching carefully as Riku pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it next to his bag. Sora stared at Riku's tanned chest. It wasn't just thin, like Sora's was. It was nice and toned. Sora wished his was like that.

Riku caught sight of him staring and looked down at himself curiously. "What?" he asked.

A small pink tinge formed across Sora's face as Riku looked at him. He quickly turned away, a squirming feeling wiggling in his stomach. "You look so much nicer than I do." Sora admitted sheepishly, tugging on the bottom of his shirt. Grasping his shirt tightly, he slowly pulled it over his head, and tossed it next to Riku's.

"No I don't," Riku said, his voice laced with something strange. Disappointment? No, it couldn't be.

"Yes you do." Sora said at once, looking down at his own pudgy sides. "I mean look at me! I'm all pudgy." He took his finger and poked himself in the side, as if to prove his point.

"I am looking at you." Riku said, his voice sounding different once again, this time more quiet, "Besides, some people like pudgy. Pudgy people have softer skin."

_'Softer skin? What's he saying? Who wants to be pudgy?'_

Sora gave him a skeptical glance as his mom shouted from within the kitchen, "Hurry up you two, so I can dry those clothes!"

,.•´¯•.¸

Sora sat on the bed, staring off into the empty room. Right now he was replaying the image of Riku walking up the stairs in a towel over and over again. It had taken everything he had not to look at his best friend as he took off his pants and underwear and tucked that towel around his waist.

Riku had always been like that, never caring who saw him half naked, or as it was in their case just now, _completely_ naked. So it was no surprise that he stripped off his clothes faster than Sora did. Sora only wished he had that kind of confidence. But for some reason, just the thought of Riku seeing him naked put his stomach in knots. He didn't really know why. It wasn't like Riku hadn't ever seen him naked before. But honestly, does it even count when you're a kid? They both had skinny dipped all the time together when they were little.

_'You're sixteen now.'_ he told himself. _'You can't see each other naked now. It wouldn't be right.'_

_'But you want to see him naked, don't you?'_ another voice snickered.

The sound of the running water on the other side of the wall, suddenly seemed more alluring than it had a minute ago.

_'But he's my best friend! I shouldn't want to see him naked at all!'_

As Sora sat waiting on his bed, the thunder outside came in louder and louder rumbles, as if echoing the very storm of his own troubling feelings.

Not really paying attention to what he was doing, Sora leaned his head against the wall, pressing his ear against it. He could hear Riku moving on the other side. Sora closed his eyes.

_'Go on,'_ the snickering voice said, _'No one will ever know.'_

Giving in, Sora smiled as he pictured Riku naked, water running in glistening streams down his tanned, toned skin. He pictured his long silver hair, drenched wet in water, sticking to the sides of his face.

"Sora..."

Sora's eyes shot open. Did Riku just say his name? He pressed his ear closer and held his breath. All he could hear was the sound of unsteady running water. Surely he must have imagined it. I mean why would Riku be saying his name in the shower? A light heat filled his cheeks. Unless...

Sora quickly pushed himself away from the wall as the sound of water suddenly came to a stop. He scurried over to the other side of the bed next to the nightstand and grabbed whatever magazine was on the top of the stack, flipping open to a random page. It was almost as if he was trying to prove to Riku that he hadn't been listening to him take a shower. Because surely if Sora was just sitting there on the bed doing nothing when he walked out of the bathroom, then what else could he have been doing other than listening to Riku shower? It was crazy. Why would Riku even suspect such a stupid thing? All Sora knew was that he was going to try to look as innocent as possible.

Sora kicked his feet over the edge of the bed and sat up, taking care to make sure his towel was fixed just right. He could hear the curtain being pulled, a couple of random noises, then the doorknob turning. Out of the corner of his eye, Sora could see him standing there in the doorway, a new towel wrapped around his waist, and the another draped over his head like a nun.

"About time." Sora said, flipping a page. "You had better left me some hot water."

Sora waited for Riku's comeback. It never came. Sora resisted looking up as Riku began walking over. Scrunching his hair with the towel, he sat down next to him on the edge of the bed. Leaning over, he glanced down at the magazine. Sora shifted uncomfortably, very aware of the fact that they were both wearing _only_ towels. Riku was sitting so close that their thighs were touching. Why, oh why, was he sitting so close to him? Obviously, he had no idea what it was doing to Sora. He could only pray that his body didn't betray him.

"So, does he?" Riku asked.

Sora turned and looked at him strangely. Riku's shining aqua-marine eyes were smiling back at him. What was so funny? Was Sora missing something here?

"What?" he asked.

"I said, does he?" Riku repeated with a curious smile, jamming a finger on the open page.

It was then that Sora realized which magazine he had picked up. _Take this quiz to tell if he likes you_ was the flowery title across the top of the page. Sora quickly slapped the magazine shut and tossed it back on his nightstand. He forgot. Kairi had left one of her girlie magazines over at Sora's the last time she had been over at his house. He had left it on the nightstand so he could hopefully remember to give it to her. But he never could. There, it had been laying for the past two weeks.

"Kairi left this here." Sora said at once. "I was just wondering what was in it."

Riku snickered and pushed himself off the bed. "Right..." he mused.

As Riku left the room and walked down the stairs to get his duffel bag, Sora took the opportunity to run into the bathroom. His heart was pounding. Why did he have to pick up _that_ magazine and flip it open to _that _page? What did Riku think of him now? He had sounded amused. Knowing Riku, he probably just chalked it up to Sora being weird, certainly not gay. Was he gay? He was beginning to wonder.

_'No. I can't be. I don't check any other guys out. Just Riku. Only Riku...'_

Digging his hands into his hair, Sora slid slowly down to the floor, his back against the door.

_'What's wrong with me?'_

The more he pretended that he wasn't attracted to him, the stronger those feelings became. It was stupid, but Sora couldn't help it. When he thought he had heard Riku say his name in the shower, he had allowed himself the impossible possibility that maybe, just _maybe_, Riku felt _that_ way about him too. It had filled him with so much joy, even though it was likely he had just imagined the whole thing. Wishful thinking as it were.

Then again...

Sora smiled widely, releasing his hair and looking up. That's when he noticed _it_. At first he didn't know what _it_ was. But _it_ was everywhere. Then, slowly, he realized.

It was hair, _silver_ hair, _R__iku's_ hair.

He had cut it.

He had cut it and Sora hadn't even noticed.

_'When he came out of the bathroom he had a towel over his head. I couldn't have noticed.'_ he told himself.

Sora spotted the trashcan in the corner. It was filled with loose silvery hair. Sora's heart dropped as he reached in and picked up a chunk, holding it up.

_'Just how much did he cut?'_

Sora held the pale strands against his own at different heights, trying to remember exactly how long Riku's hair had been. What if he had cut a lot off? Sora frowned, picturing Riku with really short hair. He wouldn't look right any more! Just then there was a knock at the door.

"Sora? Are you naked? Can I come in for just a sec? I forgot something."

Sora spun around. He grasped the doorknob and practically ripped the door open, almost tearing it off its hinges. Riku stood there, wide eyed, the towel still draped over his head, hiding his treacherous deed. Sora looked at him pleadingly. "Why did you cut your hair?" he demanded.

Riku blinked. "I thought you said I needed to. You're the one that said I looked, what was that word again...on yeah, _funny_."

"Ri-ku!" Sora practically whined. "I didn't think you would actually cut it."

"You sound disappointed, Sora. I only cut a little off. It's not like I shaved it or anything."

Sora's eyes darted upward to the towel, making a funny face as he pictured a bald Riku in his head.

"Well!" Sora demanded, crossing his arms, "Take that towel off already! Let's see it!"

Riku cocked his head to the side. "Which towel are you talking about, Sora?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. The comment succeeded in earning Sora a blush as his bright blue eyes fell on the towel around Riku's waist.

"Riku!" Sora shouted, feeling the heat fill his cheeks. "You know which towel I mean! Come here!"

Sora made a solid reach for the towel, but Riku pulled away.

"Too slow, Sora." he chided.

Sora's lips spread into a devilish smile. "Oh, yeah?" he said.

He swung again, and Riku took off running. Sora chased him around his room twice before Riku sped out the door and down the hall. Bare feet ran across the floor and into Sora's mom's "loop around" bedroom - in one door, through the room, into the bath and out the other. He was always just out of Sora's reach, even with the towel streaming behind him. Chasing him back down the hall and into his room again, Sora seized his opportunity. Riku didn't stand a chance. The delay to open the door was just enough to allow Sora to tackle him to the floor.

"Gotcha!" he shouted as they both hit the floor. Sora pinned him down and grabbed the towel, pulling it out of Riku's hands. He smiled as he looked down at Riku's smiling, laughing face. He hadn't cut much off at all. In fact, it looked almost exactly like it did two years ago, short choppy spikes, hanging just above his shoulders. Without thinking, Sora reached over and grabbed a section and tugged. Looking back at him was his Riku, the one he _missed_.

Sora looked into his bright blue-green eyes and smiled bigger. That's when he noticed Riku was blushing.

"Um, Sora..." he said quietly, looking away.

"What's wrong?" Sora asked, smile fading.

"Look at us." Riku said.

Sora looked down and realized why Riku was blushing. Sora had him pinned like they were wrestling. He had done it without even thinking about it, because it's what they always done to each other. Only this time, they were only wearing towels...

Sora scurried off him. "Oh my god! I'msosorry! SorryIdidn'tmeantosorry!" Sora said breathless. He could have died. He was sure he had _felt_ Riku, and even worse Riku had felt him too. He felt mortified. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Riku picking himself off the floor. Sora stared to the side, he couldn't look at him. Not after _that._

"What are you boys doing up there?" Sora's mom shouted from the bottom of the stairs. "What's with all that running? You two sound like you're tearing the house apart up there!"

Sora froze like a deer in the headlights. "Sorry, mom! Me and Riku were just playing around!"

"Well, come on you two! Dinner's ready!"

"I still gotta take a shower mom!"

"Well hurry it up, Sora! Before it gets cold!"

"Okay! I'm going!"

Not looking at Riku, Sora darted into the bathroom. Tossing his towel next to the toilet, he quickly turned on the water, only now noticing the warm, inviting smell that lingered strongly in the air. It was Riku's shampoo. He closed his eyes and slowly inhaled the distinctive scent. It smelt so good.

Sora glanced at the door as the sound of a hairdryer drifted from beyond it. He had cut his hair because of Sora, that's what he had said. He had done that for him. Somehow, it seemed to pale in comparison to everything else Riku had gone through for him. And for Sora, it wasn't just one more thing. More than anything, it showed just how much Riku cared about what Sora thought. Maybe he wasn't just clinging to a desperate hope after all.

Sora signed as he stepped slowly into the small shower, pulling the curtain closed behind him. The hot spray felt good against his damp, tired skin. He reached up and pushed his long bangs out of his eyes. Eyes lingering slowly across Riku's shampoo, Sora grabbed his own and set to work.

"Sora!" Riku said, knocking loudly on the door.

"Yeah!?" Sora called out hesitantly.

"I'm going downstairs. See you when you get down there."

"Okay!"

_'Jeez, how am I going to face Riku after what just happened?' _Sora pondered, scraping his soapy fingers across his scalp. On one hand, he could just pretend it never happened and never mention it again. And on the other..._  
_

CRACK!

Total darkness.

_'And there goes the power...'_ thought Sora miserably. He wasn't even sure if all the shampoo was out of his hair. As he fumbled clumsily in the dark for the water handles he heard a knock on the door.

"Sora!" It was his mom. "Are you okay?"

"If by 'Okay' do you mean 'Do I have soap in my eyes?', then yeah, mom. I'm okay."

"Oh, Sora. Hold on, I'm coming in."

Candlelight flooded into the bathroom as she walked into the small space. Sora poked his head out, hiding behind the curtain.

"Here you go, sweetie." she said, picking up a towel. "Hurry up and dry off. We'll all be downstairs waiting. If you don't hurry -"

"-the food will get cold," he smiled, taking the towel. "I know, mom. Thanks."

She smiled back, then left the room.

,.•´¯•.¸

By the time Sora had towel-dried his hair, threw on his pajamas, and ran downstairs to the dining room, he saw that the rest of them were about halfway finished.

"It looks so much better, Riku." Riku's mom was telling him.

"I think so too!" Sora's mom said. She turned and looked at Sora. "What do you think, Sora?"

At this, Riku looked up. Sora heart pounded wildly in his chest. Who knew that just looking at Riku could make him feel so nervous? Those glowing aqua eyes, smooth tanned skin, soft shimmering hair...

_'Get it together!' _

"Looks great." Sora said, giving him a smile and plopping down in his seat. "I was just telling him today he needed a haircut..."

"You do too young man." his mom said firmly.

Sora grinned to himself. "Nah, I like it like this." he told her.

"I had been telling him he needed a haircut for months," Riku's mom said, "And as soon as you say something Sora, he cuts it. You see, he never listens to me, he always listens to you. Maybe you can come live with us. Get him to do a few more things he needs to."

Sora froze as he was about to pick up his fork and looked at Riku. The silver-haired boy was fumming, no, he was _pissed_. Sora could see the argument between Riku and his mom coming from a mile away, like some horrible, unavoidable trainwreck.

Before Riku could say anything back to her, Sora turned and looked at his mom. "Can me and Riku eat in my room, mom? There's something important I've been meaning to talk to him about. Do you mind?"

She looked surprised for a second, and then looked at Riku. Sora was hoping she could understand. She looked back at him. "Sure. We don't mind. You two just remember to move your bed like we talked about - away from the window."

"I won't forget. Thanks, mom."

,.•´¯•.¸

Once they were in Sora's room, Sora shut and locked the door. Riku hadn't said anything as they gathered their plates and walked up stairs and now he was sitting on the floor, staring at his uneaten food not looking at Sora.

Sora walked over and sat down across from him. The candlelight placed them both under a dark glow, making it impossible for Sora to discern most of Riku's expression, although he really didn't have to. He knew how Riku felt.

Sora bent over his plate and stabbed the green beans with his fork. "Look at this." he told Riku, waving the fork in front of his face, "Mom knows I hate green beans. Honestly, of all the last hot meals to have..." he chuckled. Still Riku didn't look up.

"Thank you, Sora." he said quietly. Sora put down his fork and looked over at his best friend. Riku wasn't a fool. He knew that Sora didn't really have anything to talk to him about and that he was just telling his mom they did so that him and his mom wouldn't start arguing.

"Sure, buddy." Sora said lowly, scraping the beans off his fork and stabbing it into the macaroni instead. He took a bite. "Heh." he chuckled. "Whaddya know?...It's cold."

The joke did nothing to lighten Riku's mood. He looked up at Sora sadly. "What would I do without you, Sora?"

"Oh, I don't know," Sora said airly, tilting his head and taking another cold bite of macaroni, "You'd find someone else to pick on I'm sure."

"I'm serious." Riku told him, his voice low and dark. "If I didn't have you, I..." he shook his head. "...I don't know what I'd do."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that, do you?" Riku gave him a strange look and Sora smilied. "Because you do have me. And I'm not going anywhere."

Riku's eyes softened and his lips curved into a small smile. "Thanks, Sora."

"It really does you know." Sora said softly.

"What?" Riku asked.

"Your hair. Looks good."

,.•´¯•.¸

The two passed the rest of the evening in an awkward silence, reading Sora's old mangas and playing forgotten board games from under his bed. Riku's brutal victory over Sora for every game they played did nothing to liven the grim mood that seemed to stick to him like sap on a tree. So when bedtime finally came Sora was more than thankful. Hopefully Riku would wake up feeling better. Sora could only hope.

"You get that end, I'll get this one." Sora told him as the two stared at the bed.

"Okay."

As they drug the bed across the floor and into the other corner, Sora did so with a considerable bit of reluctance, only just remembering that he would be sleeping on the floor tonight. Riku stood and watched him as he opened the closet door and began to dig out his old sleeping bag and a spare pillow.

"What are you doing?" Riku asked him.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Sora teased. "I _lost, _remember?"

Riku looked confused for a moment, and then sounded a little upset. "Sora, I'm not going to really kick you out of your own bed. I'll sleep on the floor."

"Oh, no." Sora shook his finger at him and smiled. "A bet's a bet."

"Sora."

"That'd be like me cheating." Sora said matter-of-factly, rolling the sleeping bag out beside the bed.

"Sora."

"What?"

"We can share. You can sleep with me."

Sora was glad the room was so dark, otherwise Riku would surely had seen the bright red blush that filled his cheeks at that very moment.

"Riku...are you sure...?" he asked. "I mean, we haven't done that since we were _kids_."

"Please," he said, "I want you to."

Sora's heart raced in his chest. His fingertips grew cold as the blood rushed to his face. Riku _wanted_ him to sleep next to him. Him and Riku. In the same bed.

"O-Okay..." Sora stammered. "If that's what you want..."

"Thanks."

The two boys clamored into the small, full-size bed. Riku first, then Sora.

"Goodnight, Riku." Sora whispered softly.

"Goodnight..." was his quiet reply.

Sora lay there on his back for what seemed like hours, staring into the empty room as the candlelight bounced sleepily off the walls. Every once and a while, Riku would turn and brush against him and each time Sora would close his eyes and hold his breath, enjoying the sweet torture of having the object of his every selfish desire laying right next to him. His mind was filled with thoughts of Riku reaching over and kissing him, touching him...

Sora turned over on his side, putting his back to Riku, allowing himself to get hard. Riku would never know. Obviously his best friend still had no idea of his feelings towards him, otherwise, he surely wouldn't had suggested they sleep together in the same bed. Knowing he shouldn't, knowing what Riku would probably do if he caught him, Sora closed his eyes and carefully slid his hand into his pants. Slowly, he wrapped his fingers around his own velvety length and gave it a small tug. Riku didn't move.

A few more...just a few.

Feeling Riku shift behind him, Sora froze, pulling his hand out and hugging his pillow. He listened. Riku was quiet.

_'He's still asleep.'_ Sora reassured himself. _'That was too close. No more of **that!**'_

As Sora lay drifting off to sleep, he prayed that his dreams would be filled with images of Riku, his hands and his lips. But instead, something else lay waiting.

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

_Sora looked around. He was standing in a dark room, waiting with an unfamilar girl. He knew he was waiting because of the anticipation and nervousness that lay thick in the air. Who was this strange girl? She was wearing a lightly colored suit of armor and looked to be extremely worried. She looked somewhat older than him with bright blue eyes and matching hair. Before Sora could ask who she was, the door opened and in walked another armored person, this one male. Something about him seemed inexplicably familiar, but Sora couldn't put his finger on it. _

_In his hand, he held a strange sword. Sora thought it looked like a keyblade, but not. It was much larger than any keyblade he had ever had, and lacked the elaborate detail of one._

_The girl rose to her feet. "Any news?"_

_The man looked gravely over at Sora. Pain and sorrow etched into his cobalt eyes. "I'm sorry." he said. "It's as we feared."_

_For some reason these words pulled at Sora's heart. His eyes began to water. He felt as though he had lost something. Something important. Something he couldn't get back. _

_The girl covered her mouth and shook her head in disbelief. "No..." she whispered. "The king is certain?"_

_The man gave her a sad glance and nodded. "I'm afraid there is no doubt."_

_"Just like last time," the girl said fearfully, "It's happening again."_

_"It's not going to be like last time." the man said darkly. "I'm going to stop him. Xehanort won't get away with this. I promise."_

_"How can you say that!" she cried._

_"Both of them are gone! **Both** of them! What about __him?" she gestered towards Sora. "What's __**he** going to do? If Xehanort succeeds you know what will happen!"_

_"Nothing's going to happen. Because we are going to stop them. **All** of us."_

_"Did **he** order that?" she asked quietly.  
_

_"You know the king would never do that." He turned and looked at Sora. "But we both know the only one that __can bring him back; the only one** he'll** listen to, is __**you**." _

_"What of the Keys of Heart?"_

_"The king has sent them to different worlds in the Realm of Light, save for one."_

_"Keep one? Why?"_

_"It can't be helped," the man said softly, clenching his weapon tightly in his hand, "If we fail, it will be the Keyblade Master's only hope."_

(¯·.¸.•´¯•.¸¸.•´¯•. ,.:¯)

Sora woke with a start. Some-what shaking, he reached up and wiped the tears out of his eyes.

_'What was that? A memory?'_

He had never saw those people before in his life. But they were talking about Xehanort. Were they people that Roxas knew? No, that wasn't it. This dream, memory, whatever it was, hadn't feel like Roxas' memories did. It was different. He reached up and covered his eyes. What was happening to him? Why was he having all these dreams? What did they mean?

Dragging his hands down his face, Sora squinted at the clock on the wall. He had to stare at it for a moment and let his eyes adjust since his other one was dead. It read 3:16.

He listened, but he could not hear the wind. By now, they were in the heart of the storm.

He turned and looked at Riku, who had his back to him and was fast asleep. Somehow, him lying here in this room seemed to be the dream, instead of the other way around. Slowly, Sora turned and faced him. Carefully, he put his hand under the covers and reached out. With his fingertips, he slowly pulled a small section of Riku shirt up and touched the smooth skin underneath. Riku didn't move. He then laid his entire hand on Riku's exposed side and began running small circles over a small patch with his thumb.

This was real, right? It wasn't a dream.

"Sora?" Riku said, his voice thick with sleep. He looked over his shoulder and Sora froze. "What are you doing?" he asked.

Sora pulled his hand away. "I -" he stammered, trying to explain, "I'm sorry. I just- I wanted to touch you. I needed to know this was real."

Sora covered his face. "Oh, God. I sound like an idiot! I must really be freaking you out. I'm sorry. I'll get up, don't worry. I'll sleep on the floor."

Sora pulled the covers back and sat up. He was just about to push himself off the bed when Riku grabbed him by the wrist.

"Sora. It's okay. You don't have to do that. Lay back down."

Right now, Sora's heart was throwing itself against his ribs, trying to escape. Riku was touching him. He wasn't weirded out. He wanted Sora to stay.

"O- Okay," Sora said shakily, laying back down, still, Riku didn't let go of his wrist. Only once he saw Sora was indeed staying did he let him go. Sora immediately turned his back to him, too embarrassed to look at him. It was the most awkward he had ever felt in his entire life. After a few minutes, Sora's felt a light, feathery touch on his back. Slowly, he felt his shirt being lifted up. In a gentle motion, Riku placed his hand on Sora's bare back. Sora laid frozen, too scared to move, or was it too excited to move? He couldn't tell. They both felt the same.

Slowly, Riku's fingertips drifted upward, coming to a rest on Sora's side. They brushed against his heated skin, sending electric chills down Sora's spine. "Turn around, Sora." he said softly.

Nervously, Sora turned. Riku was laying on his side, his candlelight eyes filled with dark allure. Sora couldn't help but look at them. They were mesmerizing.

"How do you feel about me?" he asked.

It was like someone asking you why you liked your favorite color. How could you explain it to them?

_'I have so much to make up to you for, Riku. You mean everything to me. I love you. I think I've always loved you.'_

Why couldn't he say it?

"You're my best friend. Like you said, I don't know what I'd do without you."

Riku's eyes fell on Sora's lips. "Is that all I am? Your best friend?"

Sora shallowed hard. "What do you mean?"

"I've seen the way you look at me. The same way you are looking at me now..."

Sora was certain that he had lost all feeling in his hands. This couldn't be happening. Could it?

"The way I look at you? What do you mean?" he asked, laying on his innocent voice as thick as it would go.

"You don't have to keep pretending. It's nothing to be ashamed of, Sora."

All sorts of emotion swirled in his stomach, filling him with courage. "It's not that."

Riku leaned in closer, curiously, "Then what?"

"I thought that-"

He had to do this. If he didn't do it now, then he probably never could. "I thought that if you knew how I felt about you then you'd hate me. I didn't want you to hate me."

Riku reached out and touched Sora's flushed face. "Hate you? How could I ever hate you, Sora? I love you."

Riku reached under Sora's pillow for his hand. Intertwining them together, the leaned his forehead against Sora's. He was so close Sora could feel his breath across his lips.

"Riku..." he said softly, squeezing his hand. "I love you too."

Sora leaned forward, closing the distance between them. Their lips met in a soft, soothing kiss. It was everything Sora ever dreamed it would be. He reached out and cupped Riku's face, pulling him closer, deepening their kiss. Tongues were gracing one another, touching and tasting. For the both of them this, just _this_, was nothing short of Heaven. After several minutes the two pulled apart, smiling as they touched one another's face.

"Go to sleep." Riku told him.

"Okay." said Sora softly.

As the howling wind slowly began it's second assault on the world outside, two boys laid smiling as though they were miles away.

(¯·.¸ ¸.•´¯•. ,.:.•´¯•.¸,.•´¯•.¸,.•´¯•.¸ .•´¯•.)

Oh, and there's the sappy ending! I'm so proud of myself. I slapped so much foreshadowing and symbolism into this! You just don't know how excited I am to begin this story! I'm smiling now just thinking about it. I debated with myself on if I was going to write a couple chapters and then start my posting, or just post this as soon as I finished. Well, I couldn't wait. I wanted to get as much of this posted before Birth by Sleep is released as possible.

Couple of small notes:

1.) The king that the knights were talking about isn't King Mickey and yes, that was Terra and Aqua.

2.) I won't tell you what the Keys of Heart are, but I think it's fairly obvious.

Thanks for reading and remember to review! (Points to review button) Thank ye!!

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Silence. A typical shadowy figure pokes his head out as the Author's ending note...ends. Wait -- is it over? Is the Sister-Author gone? Whew! Good. Now I can sneak in and run the whole show! Take over the whole biz and climb the corporate ladder in the most shameful way possible -- stealing fanfiction! Nya-ha-ha -- Feels the sudden death-stare of someone who shall remain nameless...Er. I mean...I can...add my own little note! Yeah, own little note...let's go with that. Heh. 

I am the person the author blackmailed -- Er, asked to beta the story for her. You can expect me to see me behind the scenes every now and then because...well, that's where beta-ers are. Behind the scenes. Not in the foreground, but in the background. Got it memorized?

Anyway, here's my first little add-on -- Beta Reader's Editted Scenes!

-------------- 

"I am looking at you." Riku said, his voice sounding different once again, this time more quiet, "Besides, some people like pudgy. Pudgy people have softer skin."

_'Softer skin? What's he saying? Who wants to be pudgy?'_

If one looked closely with fourth-wall vision, Choji could be seen writhing in fury off-screen, the combined effort of Sasuke and Naruto being the only buffer to hold the chubby ninja back.

--------------

"It's only because you had a head start!" Sora told him.

"Or...because I'm faster. And have silver hair and green eyes. And may possibly be the illegal child of a certain omnipotent mama's boy who shall remain nameless, therein giving me the overall superiority. Who knows?" Riku teased with a smile.

--------------

"-A bet's a bet."

"Yep."

"And you -did- win." Sora said matter-of-factly, crossing his arms and frowning.

"Sora."

"What?"

"Just do it, without trying to suck-up to me."

"Okay, okay, fine."

Sora grumbled and muttered curses as he gave Riku the internet-pirated copy of Birth By Sleep.

"Excellent! Now, to render the fans asunder with spoilers!"

With a maniacal laugh, Riku dashed towards Sora's somehow electricless PC, his features not entirely unlike that of a Heartless.

"Oh...What have I done?!"  
--------------

"Sora." Riku turned and looked at him, giving him a reassuring smile, "It's okay." Bending over, he flipped the welcome mat up, revealing the Way to the Dawn. "Besides, I have a spare," he announced, scraping it up and twirling it between his fingers. "Any good keyblade master, thief, or vandalist always does, y'know."

"So, which one is it in this case?"

"Probably thief, why?"

"Perfect!"

--------------

Mwah! More to come, unless this section is deleted by the nameless person. Until then!


	2. Haitus UPDATE 102609

**Notice: Story on Hiatus **

As of this moment, this story has been converted into a doujinshi. Whether or not I will continue it in doujinshi form, or

story form, I haven't yet decided. Please tell me what you think. I enjoy the doujinshi more, however it takes a notoriously

large amount of time to do. I...I just don't know...

***UPDATE!***

I've decided to continue this story after the American release of Birth By Sleep on !

The time consuming task of making it a Doujinshi is impractical. Look forward to it around May 2010!

Thank you for your support!

Doujinshi link: http : // neven-ebrez(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/The-Forgotten-Kingdom-Cover-96015827


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